Finovate Awards 2026 Winner: Melissa Eggleston, nbkc bank

nbkc bank is a technology-driven financial institution serving consumers, businesses, homeowners, and fintech companies nationwide. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Kansas City, nbkc is $1.2 billion in assets yet has the agility and customer focus of a community bank. The organization is known for simplifying banking through transparent products, intuitive technology, and a customer-first approach.

Among its flagship products is the Everything Account, a combined checking and savings experience designed to help customers earn more from their everyday banking relationship. The account offers a compelling interest rate, no monthly maintenance fees, no overdraft fees, and access to digital tools that make managing money simple and convenient. Combined with nationally recognized mortgage lending, competitive business banking solutions, and fintech partnerships, nbkc serves customers across all 50 states through digital experiences (in addition to four branches) - all backed by personalized support.

Over the past several years, nbkc has accelerated investments in digital banking, customer experience, and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) relationships. Under the leadership of executives like Melissa Eggleston, Chief Deposit and Operations Officer at nbkc bank, the team has continued to advance customer-focused innovation with enhancements to digital banking experiences, personalized customer engagement, and self-service capabilities. In 2025, these efforts contributed to a 43% increase in Net Promoter Score among business customers and a 26% increase among personal banking customers.

Today, nbkc is recognized as a leader in modern banking, combining the stability and trust of a regulated financial institution with the speed, innovation, and customer-centric mindset often associated with fintech companies. The bank's mission remains simple: make banking easier, more transparent, and actually helpful for the people and businesses it serves.